1971_Vette

So I just got a 1971 Corvette coupe almost every option available. PW, PS, PB, Tilt and Telescopic Steering as well as AC and deluxe interior. The car is nice fiberglass wise. But the frame has some surface rust. I don't want to do a complete frame off restoration but drive it for a couple of summers. I am still in high school. I was wondering what my best options are to remove the rust from the frame I am assuming sand blasting but not sure if any other ways are good as well. ( It was pulled from a barn in Michigan sitting for 20 years.)

Thanks,
Luke

doorgunner

Something small like this gun will work in confined areas.....you could blast an area/then paint the area with rust-resistant paint.......then move to the next area when you have time.....





Of course you need to buy or borrow an adequate compressor to make the blasting gun work efficiently.

1971_Vette

[QUOTE=doorgunner;1592359663]Something small like this gun will work in confined areas.....you could blast an area/then paint the area with rust-resistant paint.......then move to the next area when you have time.....

Alright I think that this will work to remove some spots were there is surface rust under the car thanks!

AkrHack

Luke,

If it is just surface rust and not rust scale, I wouldn't worry about it and just drive and enjoy your car. If you post some frame pics, the forum members will give you their opinions as to whether rust is minor or a legitimate concern.

1971_Vette

Alright I will put a couple of pictures of the frame on the forum but I was also wondering where other rust spots usually form (this is my first C3). Thanks for the help and the info!

Alan 71

Hi Luke,
Welcome!
A 71 Corvette!
VERY nice.
Do you know why it's sat for 20 years? That info is sometimes a clue as to how to approach the car now.
It's likely that the car will need some of your time, energy, and money in other ways if it's been in that barn for 20 years.
I think the first things on your list should be getting it to run decently and stop really well.
After that is taken care of you'll likely have a better idea what you want to deal with next.
Many people have removed the surface rust from Corvette frames using methods other than blasting. It's been done using wire brushes by hand and small wire wheels on a variety of small power tools.
68+ Corvettes also have a steel structure that's part of the body. This is referred to as a' birdcage' because of it's appearance. Along with the frame it can also be a location for rust. Sometimes this rust in the birdcage and frame can be very serious… hopefully on your car its not.
As others have said some pictures will help you get some opinions and advice. A couple of the exterior, engine compartment, interior, and underneath would be good.
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan

1971_Vette

They guy we bought it from said that he bought if off a lady who said that her husband passed away but she kept the car and stored it there. I agree with what you said about getting the car running. I have managed to get the 350 running but the brakes do not work. I went to stop and the car kept rolling. Good thing there was a lot of room haha. I am not sure as of now what the brakes need. For all I know they may just need to be bleed. But the master cylinder looks not so good so it could possibly be that. I still need to do some trouble shooting.'

Thanks for the help,
Luke

Alan 71

Hi Luke,
After sitting for 20 years it's really not a surprise that the brakes don't work.
It could well be that the master cylinder and the four calipers need to be rebuilt. It might also be that the steel brake lines need to be flushed out and the rubber brake lines at each wheel need to be replaced.
Being able to stop a car while driving is quite a good thing!
Regards,
Alan

Where in Michigan was the car?

The13Bats

going only by what you have shared they car seems to need a bit more attention to safety items like the bad brakes that you could get hurt with,
my 69 was stored in a semi climate controlled garage over 20 years and not moved and has some bad rust that was hiding, I did get the car running driving and played with it a few years and now it's at the end of a frame off rebuild done because many things needed fixing just from age neglect and sitting,

Perhaps post a bunch of pictures some savvy eyes here can tell more...

fishslayer143

Get your brakes working before you worry about rust.. flush the system first , its probably full of rust and moisture .. then bleed everything starting in the rear.. You may need to replace the M/C, or rubber lines or some of the calipers. OEM was not SS lined and prone to rust pitting , They are available at any parts store or you can get SS lined calipers at any of the Vendors on here .Good Luck, Welcome to the world of Classic Corvettes .. Be sure to wave!

teamo

I used a drill mounted rotary wire wheel and a 4 1/2" angle grinder with a wire wheel attachment to clean up my frame. I used POR 15 products and I am very happy with the finish. There are other coatings that are similar and also do a good job.

tokim

I agree, any of these cars that are actually driven, will show signs of non-structural surface rust..it doesn't necessarily mean the car will require a full on frame replacement restoration.

It's easy to appreciate the beautiful restored frames, that required hours of blood sweat and tears to obtain the end result.
Reality is, once they are put back on the streets and driven on a regular basis, they lose that look in a short amount of time.

Wee

I would check and make sure the frame is safe to drive before I put anymore money into it...Working brakes won't do any good if the frame is too rusted to safely put on the road.

The area you need to look at is the rear kick up in front of both rear wheels.....Do a search, there are plenty of pics of what to look for.

Brian

The13Bats

interesting and rather great angle,
I was driving my 66 daily and knew it had some rust but I was working 5-7 daze a week at my club and just didn't mess with the car when it was broken,

a fellow offered me a silly amount for the corvette 327 engine in it, no fears wasn't numbers to the car,
so I yanked the engine one morning and waiting for a bb another cat offered a trade for the car I got silly and took, the 66 sat in the backyard no engine about 6-8 months when he started loading it on the flat bed and weird creaking bang, the passenger trailing arm mount busted...yeah, I was dd'ing that car.....

Lots more rust than I thought it had, the fellow didn't care he had other c2's wanted mostly the cage/title to make one stock car from.

7T1vette

If you only have surface rust on the frame, just knock it off with a powered wire brush. You don't have to get the frame metal 'free' of rust, as long as the rust that is on it is firmly attached.

Once wire brushed of loose rust, etc, clean the surface and then use a rust encapsulator to convert the surface rust to an inert material that will accept paint. If you have some bare metal spots, shoot some self-etching [spray can] primer on them. Then put finish coat of satin or semi-gloss black paint {your choice} on the frame. Rustoleum can be brushed on as can some other paints...or you can spray, if you have equipment to do that. If you use a quality brush, rustoleum will not have brush strokes in it, if you choose to go that way.

hunt4cleanair

A most interesting discussion and never really thought about frame rust from this perspective. But essentially frame rust, of course comes in a broad range but seems, can be grouped by three levels of degradation:

1. Surface Rust - manageable
2. Rust Scale - requires robust mechanical methods
3. Rust: Structural Integrity Compromised - requires repair/replacement

Comments appreciated on my rust classification scheme.

7T1vette

Your list is reasonable.